Fruit cutting and juice extracting machine



L. A. WELLS March 17, 1953 FRUIT CUTTING AND JUICE EXTRACTING MACHINE Filed NOV. 12. 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 17, 1953 L. A. WELLS 2,631,625

FRUIT CUTTING AND JUICE EXTRACTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 12. 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wyn/7W" a %-I|IllllIIl|llIIlIl|lll/////[/ March '17, 1953 A. WELLS 2,631,625

I FRUIT CUTTING AND JUICE EXTRACTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 12. 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 17, 1953 1.. A. WELLS 2,631,625

FRUIT CUTTING AND JUICE EXTRACTING MACHINE Filed NOV. 12, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /4 i .9 /4 32 W WHHI H Hf FIa-li Em J4 Q" J 4- m iA m/e. o k 110W 4. W511 5,

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Patented Mar. 17, 1953 UNITED STATE TENT OFFICE 'IJloyd A. Wells, Long Beach, Calif., assignor to Brown citrus' Machinery Corpora'tion, Whittier, Califl, a corporation of California Application November 12,1948, Serial N0.- 9,4 77

17 Claims. 1

Thisinvention relates to a fruit cutting and Juice extracti g machine, particularly for vcitrus fruits, such ,asoranges, lemons, grapefruit and the vvlike.

An objectofmylinvention is to provide a novel commercial machine which isused inlarge plants and Where large quantities of fruit are passed through the machine daily. I

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel machineof .the character stated in which thejfruit isiedinto apair ofpo nplementary belts, the belts .convergingand diverging during rotation thereof, to permit various operationson the fruit held in vthe belts.

Another object ,of my invention is to provide .a novel machineof the character stated in which a fruit feeding wheelhisprovided, wherein the fruit is moved intopositionto be grasp-ed by cups in a flexiblebelhthis feed Wheelbeing rotated by movement of the fruit holdingbelts.

A feature of my invention isto provide a novel means of ejecting the rind of the fruit after. the juicehas been. extracted, this ejector being actuated by movement of the pelts which grasp the fruit sections.

Other objeots,, advantaees andfeatures of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the-subjoineddetaileddescription and the appended ,claims.

Inthe drawing:

Fi ure 1 is afragmentary longitudinal sectional view of. my maohinetaken on ,lines l-l of Figure 6.

Figure ,2 is .a ,fragrnentary front elevation of one. of the .belts ,showinge .the cup construction.

Figure 3,is ,an endsview of one of the cups forming the .belt.

Figure 4 is a top-planview of the same.

Figure Sisaside elevation of one of the hollow pinsv connecting the cups.

Figure-,6, is ,a fragmentary bottom plan view .of my machine.

i n en e fetli machine sh wing-th c i knife.

continuously rota om; en J Q Figure 13 is an enlargecl fragmentary sectional viewof the knife.

Figure 14 is aseotional view taken on line ll 4 of Figure 12.

Figure 15 'is,a Ijragmentary plan view of one of the belts showing the .star wheel ejector.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, my fruit cutting and juice extractingcmachine comprises a frame i .in which a pair of conveyor belts 2-13 are rotataloly mounted. Each conveyor consists of a plurality of cups )3 which are pivotally conneotedtogether as will be subsequently described, and eachcu'p forming in substance a link of the completed.chain lilgeponveyor. Each cup on a conveyor is complementary to a similar cupon the adjacent conveyor and the twoYcups when brought together form a sphere ior the purpose of holdingorreceiving spherical fruit, such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and the like. The cups A are preierabiyformed offrubber or pl c and each cil pha a me r i io inst around the, periphery of the opening therein and each cup is also prdvidedwith outw'ardlyxtend- ,ing ears: 6-], the ears heing drilled toreceive a hollow pin 3, the purpo e of whi h Will b S sequently described.

.Th c nve .2 movesl v a ra o l s 9-| 0, the pulley 9 .being for ned as a ring and is journaled on aflraee I I, which is attached .to a frame arm' l 2" of the machine. The pulley I8 s iourna e o hai .13 ic s fixed y mounted inlthe frame 1| ofthe machine. It is to be notedthat the pulleys 9-,l ll, are at an angle to each other, thus causingthe conveyor ,2 to movetowards the QQnve'yor 3, at both ends of the nachine, as is best shown' in Figure 6. In the center or ion o th me h neihe o ev are a. suitable distance apart andthe purpose of this construction will he subsequently described.

The conveyor 3 rnovesovera of pulleys i l-d5, which are similar construction and arrangement to the pulleys :'!l a respectively.

Pulleys f I i 5 are, also a ngularly positionedas are the pulleysltfi lfl, and these pulleys areso ran ed tha the. conv vpr fi a mo ed adie e t aq ih rle thel 01 a r endsof ma hin andn 'ef earaie a th n v the machine as preyiously stated. The pulleys respective journals and the ponveyors 2- 3 are lily ,i Jui e heaiaswill be d. Theiruitis fed into the chine loy,,a ,feeder .wheel. l 3, whiohconsistspf a ring .orLplate. I7; journaled on a shaft I 8. The shaft |8is mounted on the subsequently frame I of the machine and preferably on a bracket IS. The ring ii is formed with a plurality of substantial radial webs or blades 29, which are spaced to provide fruit receiving pockets or receptacles 2i. The fruit receiving receptacles 2| are open on both the inside and the outside of the ring ii and the fruit is first fed into the inside of the ring I! by means of a chute or hopper 22. A stationary baiile or rail 23 formed of a narrow strip of metal extends along the inner side of the openings 2i at the top side of the wheel 13 and at the lower end of the wheel. This rail or guide is positioned adjacent the outer end of the openings 2! and is generally helical or spiral in shape, extending at one end from the periphery of the upper portion of the plate to the other end which is spaced inwardly from the periphery of the plate. This leaves a space '24 through which the fruit passes. Secured to the Webs 29 and parallel to the plate I! is an annular cover member l'la which defines, with the upper portion of the rail 23 and plate ii, a substantially U-shaped channel for the reception of the fruit. As the wheel 53 rotates the fruit is supported on the rail 23 at the top and also by the rail at the bottom. The webs 29 extend outwardly from the periphery of the Wheel i6 and are contacted by the individual cups l to cause the wheel to be rotated in synchronism with the movement of the conveyors and in the direction of the arrows in Figure 1. As this wheel then moves in the direction shown by the arrows in Figure 1 the fruit will tend to drop outwardly but is restrained from falling out of the wheel by the arcuate fingers 25 which are preferably formed of wire. These fingers hold the fruit within the receptacles 2! until the fruit moves to a position where a pair of cups t on the conveyors 2-3 will move inwardly, thus backing up the fruit between two cups and then continued movement of the conveyors 2-3 will move the fruit across the fixed slicing knife 23, which is positioned between the cups 4 on the conveyors 2-3, as shown in Figures 6 and 14, and the fruit will be cut in halves, leaving a half of the fruit in each of the complementary cup sections, until the fruit is conveyed to the juicing head 21. While the fruit is being carried along the bottom reaches of the conveyors 2-3, the fruit is held in each of the cups 4 by fixed guides or baffle plates 28-29. The juice trough 30 extends under the lower reaches of the conveyors 2-3 and terminates in a discharge spout 31 in the rear of the machine. A vertical wall 32 separates the front and rear of the machine so that the discharged rind of the fruit will fall out through the bottom of the machine and will not drop forwardly into the juice outlet spout 3i.

The juicing head 21 consists of a plurality of circumferentially spaced reamers 33. These reamers being positioned on both sides of a cylindrical head 34. The head 34 is power driven in the following manner: a shaft 35 is fixedly mounted in the frame I of the machine. The head 34 is journaled on this shaft by means of a sleeve 36. A gear 3'! is fixedly attached to the sleeve 36 and a driving gear 38 meshes with the gear 31 and the driving gear 38 in turn is rotated by the motor 39. Thus, the head 34 is continuously rotated and the reamers 33 are rotated in geared relation to the head 34 by the following arrangement: Each reamer has a gear 49 secured thereto and all of the gears 40 engage a ring gear 4|, which gear is fixedly mounted on the stationary shaft 35. A plurality of spaced pins 32 project from both phases of the head 31 and these pins enter the hollow connecting pins 8, thus driving both of the conveyors 2-3 synchronously with the head 34. The reamers 33 are so spaced that a reamer will enter each of the cups as the cups move toward each other due to the angular position of the pulleys 9 and [4. Figure 9 illustrates the fact that the reamers 33 will gradually enter the cups 4 and will gradually move into the pulpy mass of the fruit, thus squeezing the juice from the fruit as well as reaming some of the pulp from the fruit. The frames [2 of the conveyors 2-3 can be adjusted horizontally to determine the distance which the reamers will enter a cup 4. This horizontal adjustment of the frame i2 is accomplished by threading a sleeve nut 43 into an internally threaded nut 44 which bears against the side of the frame 12 and moves this frame against a spring 45. The sleeve '13 is rotated by a shaft 36 which is manually rotated when adjustment is necessary. The juice and other material obtained from the fruit drops downwardly into the trough 3i) and pours out through the spout 3|.

After the juice and certain portions of the pulp have been removed by the operation of the juicer head 27, the conveyors 2-3 continue to rotate and the cups 4 will carry the rind of the fruit until the star wheels 47-43 are reached. Each of the star wheels are freely rotatable on the frame of the machine and the arms of the star wheels enter slots 49 in the cups, thus causing an arm of the star wheel to press against the rind, pushing the same inwardly and ejects it from the cup. The rind falls back of the baffies or wall 32 and drops downwardly through the machine into a suitable receptacle (not shown). It is to be noted that the star wheels ll-d8 are caused to rotate by the movement of the conveyors 2-3, the arms of the star wheels being so spaced so that one arm is always within a slot 39 of one of the cups 4.

In operation fruit is fed through the chute 22, into the feed wheel E6. The motor 39 is now started, causing the juicer head 21 to rotate through the gears 3'5-38. Rotation of the juicer head will cause rotation of the reamers 33, as previously described. Also, the pins 32 will engage the various hollow pins 8, thus simultaneously driving the conduits 2-3 and also causing these conduits to move synchronously so that the complementary cups *3 in the two conveyors will always match to form a complete hollow spherical cup. Movement of the cups 4 in the conveyors 2-3 will compress against properly positioned fruit in the bottom of the feed wheel It, thus causing the cups to grip the fruit and also causing the wheel [6 to be rotated synchro nously with the conveyors 2-3. The fruit held in the cups 1 is now carried past the knife 26 which cuts the fruit into two. The fruit halves are now held in the cups by the bafiies 28-29 until the juicer head 21 is reached and at this time the two conveyors converge causing the reamers 33 to enter the cups with the fruit halves therein, thereby squeezing out the juice and removing some of the eatable pulp. The juice drops downwardly into the trough 39 and then pours out through the discharge spout 3|. The non-eatable rind is retained in the cups and the star wheels 47-43 eject this rind and thereafter the cups are empty and the operation previously described is repeated.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A fruit cutting and juice extracting machine '5 comprising a pair of complementary conveyors, each conveyor consisting of an elliptical shaped unit, each of said conveyors being deformable laterally, a plurality of cups in each conveyor, a pin extendin through adjacent cups to form a link conveyor, said cups in the two conveyors being arranged in complementary pairs to grip the fruit, guide means over which said conveyors move, said conveyors being positioned in a substantially vertical plane, said conveyors being moved toward each other at one point in their rotation and away from each other at another point in their rotation, means to drive said conveyors, feed means for positioning the fruit to be gripped by said cups, a cutter knife positioned between the complementary cups and at a point where the conveyors converge, a juicing head at one end of the conveyors, means to rotate said head, a plurality of circumferentially spaced reamers on said head, means to rotate each of the reamers and each of saidreamers entering a cup to extract juice from the fruit in the cup,

comprising a pair of complementary conveyors,

each of said conveyors being deformable laterally, a plurality of cups in each conveyor, a pin extending through adjacent cups to form a link conveyor, said cups in the two conveyors being arranged in complementary pairs to grip the fruit, guide means over which said conveyors move, said conveyors being positioned in a substantially vertical plane, said conveyors being moved toward each other at one point in their rotation and away from each other at another point in their rotation, means to drive said conveyors, feedmeans for positioning the fruit to be gripped by said cups, a cutter knife positioned between the complementary cups and at a point where the conveyors converge, a juicing head at one end of the conveyors, means to rotate said head, aplurality of circumferentially spaced 'reamers on said head, means to rotate each of the reamers and each of said reamers entering arecaused to enter the cups.

3; Ina fruit cutting and juice extracting machine, the combination of' apair of complementaryconveyors, each conveyor being an elliptical shaped unit; each of said conveyors being deformable laterally; a plurality of cups forming links in each conveyor; a pin extending; through adjacent cups to form a link" conveyor, the cups in the two conveyors being'arranged in complementary pairs to grip the fruit, a pair of" spaced pulleys over which each of said conveyors, move, said pulleys being j'ournalled with the axes of each pair thereof intersecting at an angle, the pulley at one end of one conveyor being substantially' parallel to the pulley at the opposite end of the other conveyor; whereby said conveyors converge at'both ends'ofthe machine and: diverge at the-center; of themachine, acutter knife positioned at oneend of said conveyor to bisect the 6 fruit, a juicing head journalled between one pair of adjacent pulleys at the other end of said conveyor, reamers on both sides of the juicing head, said reamers entering the cups in both conveyors, means to rotate said juicing head, and means on the juicing head engaging both of said conveyors during a part of the rotation of said juicing head whereby the conveyors are rotated by said juicing head.

l. In a fruit juice extracting machine, the combination of a pair of complementary conveyors, each conveyor being deformable laterally, a plurality of spaced cups in each conveyor, each of said cups being provided with a slot, said cups in the two conveyors being arranged in conlplementary pairs to grip the fruit, cutter means for bisecting the fruit as it is gripped between complementary cups, guide means over which said conveyors move, said conveyors being moved adjacent each other at one point in their rotation and away from each other at another point in their rotation, means to drive said conveyors, a juicing head at one end of said conveyors, means to rotate said head, a plurality of circumferentially spaced reamers on said head, means to rotate said reamers, each of said reamers entering a cup to extract juice from the fruit in the cup, and ejector means at the divergent point in the rotation of the conveyors, said ejector means comprising a pair of stationary members each adapted to enter the cups of one of said conveyors through the slots to remove the fruit peel there-from.

5. In a fruit juice extracting machine, the combination of a pair of conveyors, a plurality of cups on each conveyor, said cups being arranged in complementary pairs to grip the fruit, a cutter knife positioned at one end of said conveyor to bisect the fruit, a single juicing head at the other end of said pair of conveyors, means for rotating said head, a plurality of circumferentially spaced reamers on both sides of said head, means to rotate said reamers, each of said reamers being positioned to enter a cup to extract juice from a fruit half held therein, and drive means on the head directly engaging both conveyors to rotate the same;

6; In a fruit juice extracting machine, the combination of pair of laterally deformable endless conveyors, said conveyors con-verging toward each other at the ends thereof and diverg- 'ing away from each other in the central portion thereof, a cutter knife positioned between the conveyors at one end thereof, a plurality of cups on each conveyor, said cups being arranged in complementary pairs to grip a whole fruit therebetween at a point adjacent the cutter knife, a juicing head at the other end of said conveyor means for rotating said head, a plurality of cir-. cumferentially spaced reamers' on said head, means to rotate said reamers, each of said reamers being positioned to enter a cup toextract; juice from a fruit half held therein, and drive, means onthe head engaging both conveyors to,

rotate the same.

7. In a fruit juice extractingmachine, the combination of a pair of complementary'endless. conveyors, each conveyor consisting; of an ellip tical shaped unit, a plurality of cups" in each; conveyor, said cups in the two conveyors being; arranged in complementary pairs to grip the whole fruit, guide means over which said 0011-, veyors move,-. said conveyors bei'ngmoved toward each other at one point in their rotation and awayf'rom each other at another point in their rotation, a cutter knife positioned between the conveyors at the converging end thereof, a single juicing head at one end of said conveyors, means to rotate said head, a plurality of circumferentially spaced reamers on both sides of said head, means to rotate said reamers, each of said reamers entering a cup to extract juice from the fruit in the cup, and drive means on the head directly engaging both conveyors to rotate the same.

8. In a fruit juice extracting machine, the combination of a pair of laterally deformable endless conveyors, said conveyors converging toward each other at the ends thereof and diverging away from each other in the central portion thereof, a cutter knife positioned between the conveyors at one end thereof, a plurality of cups on each conveyor, said cups being arranged in complementary pairs to grip a whole fruit therebetween at a point adjacent the cutter knife, a juicing head at the other end of said conveyors, means for rotating said head, a plurality of circumferentially spaced reamers on said head, means to rotate said reamers, each of said reamers bein positioned to enter a cup to extract juice from a fruit half held therein, and feed means for positionin the fruit to be gripped by the cups, said feed means being positioned between the two ends of the conveyor and adjacent the first said converging end of said conveyors whereby said complementary cups engage the whole fruit therebetween as the cups move past the feed means.

9. In a fruit juice extracting machine, the combination of a pair of complementary conveyors, a plurality of cups in each conveyor, said cups in the two conveyors being arranged in complementary pairs to grip the fruit, guide means over which said conveyors move, said conveyors being moved toward each other at one point in their rotation and away from each other at another point in their rotation, means to drive said conveyors, feed means for the fruit, said feed means positioning the fruit to be gripped by said cups, a cutter knife adjacent said feed means for bisecting fruit gripped by said cups, a juicing head at one end of said conveyors, means to rotate said head, a plurality of circumferentially spaced reamers on said head, means to rotate said reamers, each of said reamers entering a cup to extract juice from the fruit in the cup, said conveyors converging at the feed means whereby said complementary cups engage the fruit therebetween and said conveyors converging at the ju'cing head whereby said reamers are caused to enter the cups.

10. In a, fruit juice extracting machine, the combination of a pair of laterally deformable endless conveyors, said conveyors converging toward each other at the ends thereof and diverging away from each other in the central portion thereof, a cutter knife positioned between the conveyors at one end thereof, a plurality of cups on each conveyor, said cups being arranged in complementary pairs to grip a whole fruit therebetween at a point adjacent the cutter knife, a juicing head at the other end of said conveyors, means for rotating said head, a plurality of circumferentially spaced reamers on said head, means to rotate said reamers, feed means for the fruit, said feed means positioning the fruit to be gripped by the cups, said conveyors converging at the feed means whereby said complementary cups engage the fruit therebetween and said conveyors converging at the juicing head whereby said reamers are caused to enter the cups.

11. In a juice extracting machine, the combination of apair of endless conveyors, each con veyor being deformable laterally, guide means over which said conveyors move, a plurality of cups on each of said conveyors, the cups on the two conveyors being arranged in complementary pairs to grip the fruit, a pair of pulleys over which each of the conveyors move, said pulleys being mounted with the axes of each pair thereof intersecting at an obtuse angle and converging toward the end of the conveyor, the pulley at one end of one conveyor being substantially parallel to the pulley at the opposite end of the other conveyor, whereby said conveyors converge at both ends of the machine and diverge in the center of the machine.

12. In a fruit cutting and juice extracting machine, the combination of a pair of complementary conveyors, each of said conveyors being deformable laterally, a plurality of cups in each conveyor, the cups in the two conveyors being arranged in complementary pairs to grip the whole fruit, a pair of spaced pulleys over which each of said conveyors move, said pulleys being journalled with the axes of each pair thereof intersecting at an angle, the pulley at one end of one conveyor being substantially parallel to the pulley at the opposite end of the other conveyor, whereby said conveyors converge at both ends of the machine and diverge at the center of the machine, a cutting knife positioned between the conveyors at one convergin end thereof, a juicing head journalled between one pair of adjacent pulleys, reamers on both sides of the juicing head, said reamers entering the cups in both conveyors, and means to rotate said juicing head.

13. In a fruit juice extracting machine, the combination of a pair of complementary endless conveyors confronting each other and having paths of travel in different upright planes, each of said conveyors being deformable laterally, a plurality of spaced cups in each conveyor, each cup having ear means at opposite sides thereof to receive a pin, a pin extending through the ear means of adjacent cups to form a link conveyor, said cups in the two conveyors being arranged in complementary confronting pairs to grip the fruit, guide means over which said conveyors move, said conveyors being moved by said guide means toward each other at one point in their path of rotation and away from each other at another point in their path of rotation, means to drive said conveyors, and feed means for the fruit, said feed means positioning the fruit to be gripped by said cups, said conveyors converging at the feed means thereby moving the cups of each pair inwardly toward each other to grip the fruit between complementary cups as the conveyors move past said feed means.

14. In a fruit juice extracting machine, the combination of a pair of endless conveyors confronting each other and having paths of travel in different upright planes, a plurality of spaced cups in each conveyor, said cups being arranged on said conveyors in confronting complementary pairs to grip the fruit, means for moving said conveyors toward each other at one point in their travel and away from each other at another point in their travel, means to drive said conveyors, and feed means for the fruit, said feed means positioning the fruit to be gripped by said cups, said conveyors converging at the feed means to thereby move the complementary pairs of cups toward each other bodily in a direction transverse to the path of travel of said conveyors to 9 grip the fruit between complementary cups as the conveyors move past said feed means.

15. In a fruit juice extracting machine, the combination of a pair of laterally deformable endless conveyors, said conveyors converging toward each other at the ends thereof and diverging away from each other in the central portion thereof, a cutter knife positioned between the conveyors at one end thereof, a plurality of cups on each conveyor, said cups being arranged in complementary pairs to grip a whole fruit therebetween at a point adjacent the cutter knife, a juicing head at the other end of said conveyors, means for rotating said head, a plurality of circumferentially spaced reamers on said head, means to rotate said reamers, each of said reamers being positioned to enter a cup to extract juice from a fruit half held therein, drive means on the head engaging both conveyors to rotate the same, and feed means for positioning the fruit to be gripped by the cups, said feed means being positioned between the two ends of the conveyor and adjacent the first said converging end of said conveyors whereby said complementary cups engage the whole fruit therebetween as the cups move past the feed means.

16. In a fruit juice extracting machine, the combination of a pair of laterally deformable endless conveyors, said conveyors converging toward each other at the ends thereof and diverging away from each other in the central portion thereof, a cutter knife positioned between the conveyors at one end thereof, a plurality of cups on each conveyor, said cups being arranged in complementary pairs to grip a whole fruit therebetween at a point adjacent the cutter knife, a juicing head at the other end of said conveyors, means for rotating said head, a plurality of circumferentially spaced reamers on said head, means to rotate said reamers, drive means on the head engaging both conveyors to rotate the same, feed means for the fruit, said feed means positioning the fruit to be gripped by the cups, said conveyors converging at the feed means whereby said complementary cups engage the 10 fruit therebetween and said conveyors converging at the juicing head whereby said reamers are caused to enter the cups.

17. In a fruit cutting and juice extracting machine, the combination of a pair of complementary conveyors, each of said conveyors being deformable laterally, a plurality of cups in each conveyor, the cups in the two conveyors being arranged in complementary pairs to grip the whole fruit, a pair of spaced pulleys over which each of said conveyors move, said pulleys being journalled with the axes of each pair thereof intersecting at an angle, the pulley at one end of one conveyor being substantially parallel to the pulley at the opposite end of the other conveyor, whereby said conveyors converge at both ends of the machine and diverge at the center of the machine, a cutting knife positioned between the conveyors at one converging end thereof, a juicing head journalled between one pair of adjacent pulleys, reamers on both sides of the juicing head, said reamers entering the cups in both conveyors, means to rotate said juicing head, and drive means on the head engaging both conveyors to drive the same.

LLOYD A. WELLS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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